Space 1999
1 9 7 5 - 1 9 7 8 (UK)
48 x 60 minute episodes
Space 1999 cost around $300,000 per episode and it
showed. The show (a semi sequel to a previous Gerry Anderson
production, UFO) was visually stunning . . . and yet one of
the biggest flops in TV history.
In the year 1999, the colonised moon was blown out of orbit by
an explosion in a nuclear waste dump on its dark side (It's always
the nuclear waste dump, isn't it?!). Moonbase Alpha and its crew
of 300 are sent spinning off into space.
Their subsequent adventures throughout the galaxy bring them
into contact with giant man-eating squid, moving rocks that murder
humans, cosmic gas clouds and new planets. The Moonbase was headed
by Commander John Koenig and chief medical officer, Doctor Helena
Russell (played by real life husband and wife, Landau and Bain).
The plot lines were depressing and the crew of Moonbase Alpha
seemed to constantly lose their battles. They encountered all
sorts of alien life forms and intergalactic dangers on their
travels. Among them were: a blob of living foam; sexy robots of
the planet Pirl; a gigantic, people-eating squid; a
man-turned-machine name Gwent and the fearsome and mythical Arra,
queen of the planet Astheria.
There were lots of futuristic weapons and gadgets like laser
beams, Queller Drive engines, Camelot Locator beams and a talking
computer - which, in moments of danger, would say really useful
things like: "Not enough data to formulate parameters. Human
decision required."
Other key crew members included Professor Bergman, a brilliant
scientist with an artificial heart, Chief Space Pilot Captain Alan
Carter and Maya, a female alien "shape shifter" from the
planet Psychon who could transform herself into other forms (an
orange tree, a lion, a gorilla, etc) for short periods of time by
rearranging molecules.
There was also suggestion that Gerry Anderson may have
solicited more emotive performances from some of his original
marionettes . . . For all that, I loved this show and heartily
recommend it to you for the production values and space ephemera
alone.
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